So back to the reader inquiries we go with today’s article. We had a lot of readers ask about a condition called Atrial Fibrillation. Most of the questions related to how to stop or prevent it.
What is Atrial Fibrillation (AF)?
There are a lot of symptoms and conditions that fall into the category of ‘heart disease’ and for anyone filling out health history forms (or considering getting on a roller coaster at an amusement park) you have likely been asked if you have heart disease.
One symptom that can lead to heart disease, and frequently accompanies it, is the irregular heartbeat called AF, or Afib.
This is primarily an electrical problem in the upper part of the heart (the atria). Instead of a nice, steady beat you get quivering and irregularity, which causes a cascade of problems with the rest of the blood-pumping process.
So where does this electrical problem come from? Actually, it’s kind of like spinning the bottle on the floor where 80% of the places it can land are preventable causes:
– Stimulants like those tiny ‘energy drinks’ or questionable supplements that promise a period of a few hours of late-day energy
– High Blood Pressure- more on that below
– Alcohol use
– Illegal drug use
– Some prescription drugs
– Coronary Artery Disease
The other 20% of causes include surgery, genetic heart valve malformations, and acute heart attack.
For people who have ever wondered about AF or how to prevent it, understanding how to control blood pressure and cholesterol has never been more important.
AF doesn’t get a lot of press generally, because it’s not a symptom that people can easily turn their heads around. Understanding the peaks and valleys on an EKG readout needs a bit of advanced knowledge unless you have a physician nice enough to put the process in easy terms.
That kind of sets us up for failure, though, because sometimes we ignore risks of things we don’t always understand. And those who have developed AF as a result of heart disease or damage can tell you that there is no cure, just treatment.
Because this condition is so preventable, it is worth knowing (and sticking to) some general guidelines, which we have outlined before, but this is yet one more reason.
– Don’t smoke.
– Limit your alcohol or eliminate it completely
– Eat your colors- avoid beige or white food.
– Exercise regularly, even if it’s just light-duty walking or lifting cans of beans while watching the evening news
– Have your blood pressure checked regularly, and if it’s high, get it under control. This is one of the easiest parts of prevention because tools are everywhere to do this naturally.
– Get your Cholesterol in the right balance- minimize LDL because that is what directly contributes to Coronary Artery Disease
If you already have AF as a result of injury or disease, your options are something you can only discuss with your doctor, as some treatments inherently come with some risk of stroke and other complications.
However, getting the above rules committed to your daily life will go a long way in minimizing the damage that AF can cause.
For more info on bringing down high blood pressure and balancing cholesterol naturally, check out my natural guides today.
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Your article was very interesting. I have Atrial Fibrillation. I was very surprised when I was diagnosed as I have always lived a very healthy lifestyle. However, I had a serious motor accident 40 years ago and as you mentioned cause could be injury that is the only reason I could think could have caused it although it does seem a long while in between having the accident and being diagnosed?
i have afib and id like to get my heart back in rythum , any way to help ???
I have/had Atrial Fibrillation. It started not long after I started taking Metoprolol. This is a beta blocker. I suspected that this was the cause but my doc assured me it was not.
So I weaned myself off of the drug. My AF attacks stopped. But my BP was high and prompted by my doc, I resumed taking the drug. Within one minute of my first dose in months, I had a very strong attack. Despite NOT taking any more Metoprolol, the AF stayed with me.
My attacks occurred three times a week, lasted 4 to 8 hours and were extremely severe to the point I would grey out.
I did a lot of research on the net and came up with my own cure.
First, avoiding triggers like black coffee, alcohol and spicy foods. Also, just folding my arms across my gut could provoke an attack. Reasoning that the fundamental trigger was stomach related, I began taking 2 grams of magnesium per day.
Three weeks into that therapy and the AF stopped.
Here’s how I think that works. There are three controls of the rate or frequency that your heart beats. One is the inherent pulse that every single cell generates,, 60 BPM. If you cut out a bit of heart muscle from a living heart, that slice would pulse until it died. This is what keeps you alive when in a coma.
The second mechanism is the adrenergic response to exercise or impending fight or flight. Your heart rate goes up to feed extra oxygen and nutrients to your muscles. Once the extra need is over with, the Vagus Nerve takes over to lower the heart rate.
Metoprolol is a Beta-Blocker. This interferes with the adrenergic response. This creates an upset in a very delicate balance. Once that upset is established it can stay with you for life.
The stomach is involved. As in post prandial, binge drinking, the valsalva maneuver.
What’s happening is that stimulation of the stomach is fed back to the heart through the Vagus Nerve. Once this sensitivity is established it can stay with you for life.
Magnesium is a powerful buffering agent. Keeps your stomach calm,,, roughly speaking.
It worked for me. No drugs, no expensive maze procedure.
I told a local gastroenterologist about all this and he declared that I was definitely on to something.
Good luck to all who have this condition. Give my solution a try. Be warned that you will become VERY regular but that’s OK, it’s part of the solution. Constipation, even a mild form can contribute to the problem.
Two or three years ago I purchased the exercise program for hypertension. How glad I am that I did as my blood pressure went down from 176/110 to 123/75 in 3 weeks. I still keep up the exercises on a regular basis and my BP never goes higher than 130/85 in the evening and that comes down again by morning. I am 73yrs old and want to enjoy a healthy old age, good diet no alchohol , no smoking and these very valuable exercises works wonders. Thank you.
Your article tallied, of course, with everything I have been told.
I was told I have AF but there appears to be a difference between AF which is constantly present (I have a friend who has had the condition always with her since childhood) and the occasional ‘hiccup’ which occurs days or even weeks apart – sometimes only a single beat adrift showing up on the monitor. The significant difference is that the danger of the constant AF is the ‘stagnant’ unpumped blood can develop blood clots. Is my understanding correct? I had a heavy fall from a ride-on lawnmower a matter of a month or two before my diagnosis.
I had a PFO closure in February 2010. Since then every three months I’ve had an episode of pasoxysmal AF, which reverts to normal rhythm on its own. I am not on any drugs as it is not permanent, but as they tested for AF when they discovered the PFO and I’ve had several Echos which showed no sign of it, I think it must be the PFO closure that caused it. My BP was fluctuating just after the surgery, which I attributed to stress as it is now totally normal. I just hope that I have no more episodes. I have cholesterol of 4.2, 2.7 of which is the good kind and I am not diabetic. The pattern of three months seems strange.
My husband has Atrial Fibrillation and it is thought he has had it for years as the result of when working with cars he received a severe electrical shock. He keeps his cholesterol low and watches his bp and has regular visits to surgery. All one can do. Like Barbara a long time before being diagnosed.
I am 72 and was diagnosed with AF a couple of years ago
having had a slight stroke 20 years ago, otherwise lead a
healthy lifestyle. AF controlled satisfactorily by Flecainide
Acetate tablets. Could be a hereditary abnormality, not sure
that it is entirely preventable. Your tips are however very
sensible
i was diagnosed 3 ago when i was fighting a MRSA infection. they believe the severe infrction triggered my afib. i am in NSR thanks to an electrocardioversion and flecainide.
Your article was of interest to me. I am 90 years old and I have Atrial
Fibrillation and had a Pacemaker installed 4 years ago.
I had a very successful business but did not live a healthy lifestyle and had to semi Retire when I was 50.
hi just read article on atrial fibrillation as my husband a blood clot in big toe four years ago he was also diagnosed with atrial fibrillation im wondering why he has to avoid beige and white meats as never been told this
I was told I had Af about 8 years ago and have not had any major episodes of it since. My Dr didnt seem to think it was important, even tho I was hospitalised. I don’t smoke, drink and walk every day with a dog for an hour. My cholesterol is not high and my BP fluctuates the medication makes me feel worse. I have not been back to the Dr for this problem since 03.
It seems a lot of people now have this thing atrial fibrillation. You just mention the cause and possible prevention. How about cure or treatment of this condition.. Talking to my Doctor doen’t give me the answer to this condition. Except that he says it will go on its way or ot may come and go. and prescribe blood thinner thats it. A website for sufferer has menthion about intravenous magnesium supplemention the fastest way the elimenate it. Please give your opinion about this.
Thank You
I have recurring Afib that has been corrected 3 times with cardioversion, but it returns after 3 or 4 months. I take Sotolol 80 mg broken in half twice a day.(40 mg at night and 40 mg 12 hrs later) After my 2nd cardioversion I developed congestive heart failure, and generally am breathless with activity. I take a diruretic Furosimide only when I show a weight gain or have swelling in the ankles. I started taking it daily, but ached across my back, fearing kidney problems. I was told that it does increase kidney function and take it only as needed. How can I keep the Afib from returning?
I have A F for about 15 years, but not constantly. After all my follow-up I believe it was caused by the medication for (Med.) high blood pressure Hydrochlorothiazide (A Water Pill). My A F started less than 3 years after starting on this med. I was quite healthy prior to. I am now 81 yrs. old. For some time he proper balance of Magnesium & Potassium Vit. C and other supplements brought it under control, but it has been more difficult lately.
BAD SIDE AFFECTS FROM MEDICATION, COREG
I was diognosed with very acute Atril fib 1 and 1/2 years ago(extremely irregular pulse and heart rythms, missing the “P” wave at the start of each heart beat sequence, etc etc). Very scary indeed, and my Cardio MD gave me the choice of either going directly into the hospital that day, for 3 days of extensive testing and evaluation, or –since I appeared to be in relatively good health otherwise (I am age78), of alternatively coming back to his office after the week end and doing some 5 days of testing in his office, –beginning with a tread-mill stress test etc etc. And after either of these choices I would undoubtedly then be put on the usual program of Coumidin (blood thiner), Beta blockers, Ace Inhibitors, and perhaps Diuretics etc (with all the adverse side affects that these cause), along with a very intense and closely monitored cardio treatment program thereafter. I choose to do the in-office out-patient program, rather than the 5-day Hospital stay.
However, as luck would have it, I attended a club meeting that same night where we had invited, along with others, a brilliant Russian doctor to give a presentation, on some completely unrelated subject. But, being quite impressed with his overall knowledge and all, I grabbed him after the meeting ended and briefly explained my Atril fib situation and concerns.
He looked me over quickly, asked me a couple of questions and said: “You look to be in pretty good overall condition, –I think you are simply Magnisium deficient”. I replied that this could not be, since I take probably 1,000 Mg/day of the good magnesium Citrate. After which he said, “Magnesium Citrate is NOT going to do it for you! –You need Magnesium Chloride (ie. commonly called Magnesium Oil, because of its slipery nature etc)” And he went on to say, “I know what I’m talking about here, because I too had Atril fib.” He gave me a small bottle of Magnesium Oil that he had with him, and suggested that I apply it morning and night starting right now, and to get on the internet immediately and get more of it , since it can be gotten there very inexpensively in several places. (Magnesium Chloride/oil is absorbed through the skin, directly into the cells, where you especially need it for heart related type conditions, without having to go through the liver and all, as in oral ingestion.) I also asked him how long he thought it would it take to kick-in, and he said “if you’re taking all the Mag Citrate you say you are, —it shouldn’t take long at all.”
And it didn’t! To end the long story, I went back to my Cardio’s office on that Monday morning, and while his nurse was wiring me up in prep for the tread-mill stress test evaluation, I was looking at the monitor scope of the machine, –and I saw no sign of Atril fib, at all. When the doctor arrived a couple of minutes later, I mentioned it to him and he said “I know –I don’t see it either. Very strange, but you’ll see it kick in when I start up the tread mill. It always does.”
He started up the tread mill and ran it up to 120 % of where he should have, for my age, etc etc, —and all was clean as a whistle, no signs or indications of Atril fib whatsoever. And he told the nurse to enter in my records that I had completely converted. When I told him about the Magnesium Chloride/oil thing (which, of course he had never heard of), and asked him what he thought about the situation, he said he couldn’t really explain it, in that he had never seen it happen before, –but that maybe I had had a cold or a virus or something. Of course I knew this was not the case. He is a ‘mainstream’ doctor, very very good, conservative and quite open minded and aware of a lot of good vitamin,mineral, and fish oil etc supplements, but still not a real alternative type physician and all, so I didn’t press the issue any further.
He suggested that I wear a ‘Holter monitor” for 24 hours to see what that might reveal, which I thought was a great idea. We looked a the output and he pointed out two instances over the 24 hr period where the Atril fib thing tried to kick in, but was not successful, which he said was very good indication, –and recommended that I continue with “whatever I was doing” as it seemed to have worked well.
That was a year and a half ago. He is now my primary physician and we keep close watch on the heart and everything at 6 month intervals, and all is going very well. I still take around 600-700 Mg of Mag Citrate every day, since magnesium has some 200 crucial jobs within the body, –and of course I also apply the Magnesium Oil (about a tablespoon on each leg at night) probably some 3-4 times a week.
Well that ends what I thought would be a much shorter story, but very important for anyone experiencing the Atril fib condition, because Atril fib can kill you,cripple you, and/or severly change/degrade your lifestyle. And I would seriously suggest that any one facing or experiencing Atril fib (or any cardio/heart condition for that matter) seriously consider trying the Magnesium Oil modality. Magnesium and Potassium supplements (utilizing the chloride delivery methods)are thought to help correct many heart conditions.
Dan D.
I have A.F. also. I am not really sure what caused it. However, I was give a pneumonia vaccine, and did not respond well to it. My arm swelled up and was extremely painful for a long time, and it was nearly two months before it settled down. At that point I realized I was suffering from A.F. I will not be able to prove that a vaccine caused the problem, but I will not be taking any more. I have not heard of smoking and alcohol (I do not smoke, exercise regularly, and am careful with my diet) causing arms to swell to double their normal size.
It was interesting reading some of the possible solutions people are trying for Atrial Fib. I take “Dan Shen”, which relieves my palpitations, but it is not a cure.
When I first heard of Dan Shen I started buying it from a Chinese herbalist, but it did not work very well. Then I found A Traditional Chinese Doctor, and his Dan Shen worked very well. Apparently there is Dan Shen that works and Dan Shen that is less potent.
The actual dosage is three tablets three times a day. I have been taking it for 12 months and have now reduced it to three tablets just before going to bed. I have found that it stops me being woken up by Atrial Fib. I am no longer aware of Atrial Fib during the day.
I also see a Cardiologist . I do not tell him about Dan Shen. The last time I saw him he went through the whole battery of tests including Echo, and although he detected minor problems said to come back in 18 months..
After reading Dan’s comments on Magnesium Chloride/oil I will give it a go alongside Dan Shen.
Yes, there is a way to get your heart rhythm back at normal rate after being diagnosed with AF, its called a “electrical shock” to the heart. My brother who had AF had this procedure done a few weeks ago and his heart rate come back to normal. I hope that this is a permanent solution because it left him with a burst of energy and he felt much better the same day of the procedure. The procedure only took one hour.
I had been wondering if you ever thought of adjusting the design of your blog? It is very well written; I really like what youve got to state. But maybe you could include a little more in the way of written content so people could connect with it better. You have got an awful lot of wording for only having one or two pictures. Maybe you could space it out better?